Chemical sensors can be fabricated using semiconductor technology. The use of semiconductor manufacturing can result in a reduction of size of the chemical sensor as well as mass fabrication of chemical sensors, thereby reducing per unit cost of each sensor. More generally, the use of semiconductor manufacturing to manufacture sensors produces the same or similar benefits as it does for electrical circuits: low cost per sensor, small size, and highly reproducible behavior. Semiconductor manufacturing also facilitates the integration of signal conditioning, compensation circuits and actuators, i.e., entire sensing and control systems, which can dramatically improve sensor performance for little increase in cost.
Semiconductor manufacturing technology also provides precise control of layer thickness and lateral dimensions, so that the sensors can be miniaturized, and so that they will have well-controlled characteristics. By making the sensors small, one can calibrate them with small volumes of calibration solution. Sample volumes can be small (which may not be important in testing water, but may be important in testing other solutions, such as blood samples from newborns). Operation of the sensors also requires rinsing between samples, and storage in a controlled solution. Volumes of all of these solutions can be smaller if the sensors are miniaturized, as they are on the silicon substrates.